Feasibility of translamination cabinet idea

[CUtiger]

Re: Feasibility of translamination cabinet idea

I'm not too worried about the hours invested, planning to do two layers up and down on each cabinet a night when I get home from work. Hopefully can get the bulk of it done in a couple weeks. Not sure how much dust will be made by the band saw but have a respirator and installed a pretty good active ventilation system in the basement woodshop. I actually looked into CNC but the cost was up there. This isn't going to be a budget build by any means ~$500 in drivers and crossover parts but half the fun is the DIY aspect for me and want to cut costs where I can to get the same result. Hopefully will be able to get the first couple pieces put together this weekend, my 30th birthday is march 15th and want to have most of the assembly done by then.

[RINNAV]

Re: Feasibility of translamination cabinet idea

The renderings look good! My advice (from personal experience) is if you have to cut each piece with a band saw take your time. The process goes pretty quick until the sanding and finishing. You will not be able to get the cuts exact so sanding will take hours and hours--seems to suck the life out of you! I think the biggest learning experience was that next time I will fork out the $$$ to get them done on a CNC. If you’re like me, you will probably have to find out for yourself;) It does look like a nice take on a translam and the square rear baffle will save you some time getting the "curves correct."


My translam build thread?

http://techtalk.parts-express.com/showthread.php?t=229387

[CUtiger]

Re: Feasibility of translamination cabinet idea

RINNAV thanks for the link and compliments on the google sketch. I just started using the software this past weekend but have become rather proficient(read obsessive), I will be thrilled if my results turn out looking half as good as yours! I had been warned about the sanding previously, and trust me I know from experience to take the band saw slow. Not sure if you saw a recent thread about tool definitions but the one about bandsaws and cutting inside the line almost made me fall out of my chair. I was hoping that by doing one layer thickness glue up at a time I could then go over it with a flush trim bit before putting on the next layer and thus reduce the sanding. My worry is burning the edges but will run a couple tests, part of me actually thinks that some random darkening in the pattern may look cool :rolleyes: but that is probably wishful thinking.

Is that a walnut baffle in your photos, it is a beautiful contrast. It's way too early but I'm debating veneer choices for my baffle and walnut is up(moreso after your pictures) another thing I saw was this:

http://www.veneersupplies.com/products/Imbuya-Burl-Veneer-Lot--225-x-11-3-Sheets-Per-Lot.html

[s7horton]

Re: Feasibility of translamination cabinet idea

A word of caution on the dowels. I've used this technique. No where near easy as it sounds. The tolerances of the hole to dowel has to be so tight they barely fit. Then, after all that alignment was still poor.

Before I did it, I thought it would work like a charm. I was wrong. I tried this on two stacked lamination projects.

[kmibb]

Re: Feasibility of translamination cabinet idea

Just want to add that you could save yourself a lot of trouble if you only curve the outside. If you leave the inside with straight lines you won't need to recut them every time, you can just use the straight edge.

[CUtiger]

Re: Feasibility of translamination cabinet idea

A word of caution on the dowels. I've used this technique. No where near easy as it sounds. The tolerances of the hole to dowel has to be so tight they barely fit. Then, after all that alignment was still poor.

Before I did it, I thought it would work like a charm. I was wrong. I tried this on two stacked lamination projects.

It did seem good in theory but glad you called out this warning. I think I am going to try and clamp the two layers in place sans glue, drill pilot holes then apply glue, drive in finishing nails and clamp overnight. I'm sure even with a lot of planning I'm due for some royal PIA moments but a little suffering is good for character right...

Also an interesting suggestion on only curving one side of the layers, I'll have to make some drawings and see what the cost is in terms of internal air space and material requirements but it sure would be easier to run half the cuts on the table saw...

[RINNAV]

Re: Feasibility of translamination cabinet idea

I kept mine curved in an attempt to keep reflections from coming back at the driver and altered the thickness along the curve in order to drive any specific resonance frequency towards nil. Subjectively, I feel I accomplished my goal. I would think the whole point in making a curved cabinet is to take advantage of some of these characteristics--I know, I know they look good too. A lot of work for just the appearance… Maybe I just put too much thought into the why?

[CUtiger]

Re: Feasibility of translamination cabinet idea

I kept mine curved in an attempt to keep reflections from coming back at the driver and altered the thickness along the curve in order to drive any specific resonance frequency towards nil. Subjectively, I feel I accomplished my goal. I would think the whole point in making a curved cabinet is to take advantage of some of these characteristics--I know, I know they look good too. A lot of work for just the appearance… Maybe I just put too much thought into the why?

Just my opinion but only you can make that call on yourself and honestly I don't believe there is such a thing. I'll likely be keeping mine curved inside and out as well, something about the hum of the bandsaw is more soothing than the howl of the table saw anyways.

[edgecreek]

Re: Feasibility of translamination cabinet idea

AH! With a band saw available do both. Make the original cut out with one square edge. This will make glue up alignment much easier. Stack and glue to whatever is the maximum cut height on your band saw and curve the inside edge. Then the final glue up is only a few larger units. I would think much easier to align.

[r-carpenter]

Re: Feasibility of translamination cabinet idea

http://techtalk.parts-express.com/album.php?albumid=247&pictureid=2032

http://techtalk.parts-express.com/album.php?albumid=247&pictureid=2030

http://techtalk.parts-express.com/album.php?albumid=247&pictureid=2026

lots lots lots of time and then some more.

[BElstro]

Re: Feasibility of translamination cabinet idea

what about a router template? I know, I know..... the hum of the bandsaw :rolleyes: ... lol. And, you'll still need to cut out the inside! Good luck!

[kmibb]

Re: Feasibility of translamination cabinet idea

Any updates/progress?

[CUtiger]

Re: Feasibility of translamination cabinet idea

Only update for now is that I am waiting to get out of the office so I can make it to the lumber yard this afternoon, prices are about half what woodcraft sells BB for but they are only open M-F 7 - 4:30 so hoping my meeting at 2 doesn't last very long.

[Soundslike]

Re: Feasibility of translamination cabinet idea

Getting one piece positioned precisely over another, is going to be challenging, and errors will accumulate if the accuracy of the part being placed depends on the accuracy of the placement of the part below it. In other words, if the part below is off a little, everything above it will be off also. It seems to me, that you'll want to use an indexing piece that extends through the entire buildup. I think you said you have a pattern you'll use to layout the parts for the side. If I were doing this, I'd clamp the pattern to the material before tracing the outline, and I'd be sure to mark index holes with the pattern also. Ideally, the indexing hole in the pattern would be drilled through some type of material that isn't going to grow with use. You can find the exact center of the hole by inserting a brad point drill bit of the same size. I think I'd use something small for the index hole, such as a 1/8" length of piano wire. These holes should be made with a drill press.

[CUtiger]

Re: Feasibility of translamination cabinet idea

Well, bad news apparently the lumber yard decided it would be fun to close down early on friday afternoon (can't blame them they deal mostly with contractors and weren't filling any order this afternoon apparently, I did the same thing myself today anyways). I stopped by woodcraft and got a small piece of 1/2 inch thick material to practice with though and ran into a guy who runs a company with a CNC router and sell services to custom kitchen cabinet installers as well as sign making. Turns out he might be willing to cut me a little deal if I help him build some custom surround sound speakers :D, I'll email him a .dxf file tonight and get a quote tomorrow morning so we'll see how that pans out.

Soundslike that is definitely a concern of mine, I was thinking of using the middle brace section as a benchmark and correct each subsequent section with the router flush trim bit as I'll only glue one layer at a time if I end up cutting the layers myself. Basically each layer will grow from the static middle and be normalized before the next section goes on, it sounds good in my head at least. I'll get some practice tonight and evaluate tomorrow depending on the discounted cnc job quote.